EDITORIAL: Enough Of Destructive Politics!

A properly functioning democracy runs on the framework of a democratic agreement amongst the contending factions of political society. This means that there are critical issues that have to be taking out of the rough and tumble of partisan politics.

In this way, there is a consensus on those things which lay the basis for sustainable development.

For this reason, the destructive attitude of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the construction of the Moshood Olawale Abiola International Airport located in Ido-Osun is unacceptable. The use of the word-destructive is deliberate and carefully chosen in describing the obstructionist attitude of the PDP in the state of Osun on this matter.

The completion of the airport is vital for the sustainable development of the state. This is why every right-thinking person should give kudos to the state government which last week entered into an agreement with Awol International Limited for the completion of the MKO International Airport located in Ido-Osun.

The agreement is well thought out and brilliantly innovative. The agreement in principle is to build the airport, operate and transfer it back to the state government, 30 years after.

The signing of the concession agreement on the completion of the airport will hasten the take-off of its operation within the next eight months.

Chairman of AWOL International Limited, Ambassador Nurudeen James Ogunlade, said the company will shoulder 100 per cent funding of the project.

He disclosed that the project will commence on 9th November 2017 while the first phase will be completed within eight months and put into use, adding that the entire project will be totally completed by 2019.

He said the airport when completed will serve local and international passengers as well as cargo services, saying this will complement the legacies of the present administration.

He said: “We are entering into an agreement with the State Government of Osun to fast-track the completion of the MKO Abiola International Airport having realized the zeal and effort being put into it by Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led administration.

What is far-sighted here is that we are seeing a commitment by the state’s helmsman Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola to turn Osun to an African Commercial hub. The company was chosen clearly has the sufficient level of experience to deliver the goods and its tie-up with the Turkish Exim Bank and Birary Group of Companies from Turkey will facilitate this.

Playing politics with a project of this magnitude is irresponsible. With the agreement in place, Aregbesola is sensibly playing the statesman.

As India’s first post-independence prime minister Jawarlah Pandit Nehru memorably observed, “a politician thinks about the next election, a statesman, about the next seven generations”, Ogbeni Aregbesola is thinking here about sustainable development to empower future generations yet unborn.

The Osun State PDP should do the same. Playing pranks with fundamental economic development initiatives may look good for the immediate electoral calculus; it, however, reveals an inadequacy of preparation for office.

We urge the government of the state of Osun to remain focused in the implementation of this laudable and fundamental economic initiative which is for the good of all. As for the PDP, being nay Sayers to every sensible initiative will only expose their inadequacies to an electorate already skeptical of their lack of preparation to govern a renewed, invigorated state of Osun.